"Sonoko, Kei, you can eat it if you want."
Makoto also said to Sonoko and the others.
This statement was a bit hurtful to their pride, but it was the undeniable truth.
Sonoko and the others didn't mind either, knowing that their man's way of speaking was always direct.
After all, this was the limit of their potential.
Even if Makoto gave them a super powerful cheat, they wouldn't be able to utilize it fully.
It's like giving someone Wood Release... not everyone can reach the level of Senju Hashirama. For most, reaching the level of Yamato is the limit.
Oh, to clarify, this refers to Yamato from Naruto, not Yamato from One Piece.
After listening to Makoto's analysis, Ichika secretly bumped her sister Nino's arm and whispered, "Nino, do you want to eat it?"
Ichika knew.
After Miku became a Devil Fruit user, this second sister of hers had been restless about being left behind by her third sister.
And the Gol-Gol Fruit's abilities were still decent... she thought Nino could try for it.
However, Nino looked quite conflicted.
After witnessing Ai's true strength, Nino also knew that her own talent was only so-so.
She didn't aspire to get stronger cheats in stronger worlds later.
Devil Fruits, honestly, were the power system most suitable for her.
But the problem was, she thought the Gol-Gol Fruit was ugly.
It felt very tacky.
As someone who cared about aesthetics, Nino wanted an ability that was good-looking itself.
Something cool like a Logia, such as Admiral Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit, or a high-appearance Mythical Zoan like Miku's or Yamato's that allowed transformation into a furry.
"I'll wait for next time."
Nino shook her head.
"It's too ugly."
Ichika: "..."
She knew her sister had high standards for looks, but she didn't expect them to be this high, demanding not only that the man she found be handsome but also that the Devil Fruit be beautiful.
Erina and Alice had similar thoughts.
Their talent was basically on the same level as Nino's, which could only be described as 'just okay'.
It was estimated that they likely couldn't awaken a Zanpakuto or learn high-level Ninjutsu from the Naruto World, so getting a top-tier Devil Fruit would be about enough.
But the issue was that you could only choose a Devil Fruit cheat once in a lifetime, and once chosen, you couldn't change it.
And the Gol-Gol Fruit was indeed good, but beautiful girls all wanted something with even higher aesthetic appeal.
"I'll pass."
Erina shook her head.
"I'll wait for next time too."
Alice also shook her head.
At that moment, Ran stepped forward.
"Riku, could you give it to Sonoko?"
Makoto looked at Sonoko.
Sonoko thought about it herself and then expressed her willingness.
"I think I can handle it."
Her tone was serious.
On one hand, her talent was indeed the lowest among these girls.
Even if she were given a top-tier Devil Fruit like the Tremor-Tremor Fruit or the Soul-Soul Fruit, she wouldn't be able to develop it much.
A mid-to-upper-tier fruit like the Gol-Gol Fruit was about right.
Moreover, Sonoko didn't care as much about aesthetics… well, she actually did care about looks, but only regarding men. She wasn't as demanding about cheat abilities.
"Really decided? You can't change this, you know."
Makoto asked.
"Mm-hmm."
Sonoko nodded.
"Anyway, I can't train to achieve much. I might as well eat a fruit and just coast along."
Makoto smiled and handed her the Gol-Gol Fruit.
Sonoko took the Gol-Gol Fruit, took a deep breath, and then bit into it.
"Ugh—"
Her face instantly scrunched up, her features crowding together like a squashed bun.
"It tastes awful... just like Miku and the others said."
"Stop complaining and try the ability."
Ran smiled and comforted her.
Sonoko nodded, raised her right hand, and concentrated.
Golden light surged from her palm, coalescing and deforming in her hand.
A golden longsword gradually took shape in her hand.
"..."
Sonoko looked at the golden sword in her hand, her eyes lighting up.
"Not bad."
Makoto nodded.
"With more practice, you should be able to make more complex things."
Sonoko excitedly swung her new golden sword and then joked, "This way, we'll never be short of money."
"Sonoko, you're already not short of money, right?" Mouri Ran laughed.
Sonoko scratched her head. "Just kidding~"
Although New Fish-Man Island had been significantly damaged by the previous battle between Ai and Tesoro, it was still possible to have fun.
At the very least, the core areas of the entertainment district, like the casino, opera house and shopping center, were mostly intact.
Makoto and his group decided to spend some time playing here.
So, Makoto took out a Den Den Mushi and dialed Yu's number.
"Senpai!"
Yu's voice immediately came through the Den Den Mushi, tinged with barely contained excitement.
"Something came up. We'll be a few days late getting to the East Blue."
Makoto said.
"Wait there for a few more days."
"No problem!"
Yu answered without hesitation.
"Take your time, Senpai! No rush!"
Chika leaned in and said a little sheepishly, "Wouldn't it be bad to keep Ishigami-kun and the others waiting so long?"
Makoto glanced at her.
"Then should we not play?"
Chika answered without a second thought: "We want to play!"
The other women around were speechless.
Just too real.
The call ended.
Aboard Otherworlder-Go, docked at Windmill Village in the East Blue, Yu put away the Den Den Mushi and turned to look at the others.
"Senpai will be a few days late."
Yu thought for a moment and continued:
"Such valuable time shouldn't be wasted. Let's search for more treasures so we have more to offer when Senpai arrives."
Hearing Yu's words, Nami and Carina, handcuffed in the corner of the ship's cabin, were speechless.
Nami glanced towards the storeroom, which was already piled high with gold, silver, and jewels. A handful of it would be enough for an ordinary person to live ten lifetimes over.
"You already have so many treasures in your vault, how many more could you need?"
She couldn't help but mutter quietly.
Carina rolled her eyes as well.
Yu didn't hear their complaints, or if he did, he wouldn't care. He glanced at Robin and said:
"Give me the wanted posters."
Robin nodded and pulled a stack of wanted posters from a drawer beside her.
Yu took the posters and flipped through them one by one.
"As expected of the weakest sea, all of them are worthless..."
His finger ran across the wanted posters and finally stopped on one face.
Blue skin, a saw-like nose, a mouth full of sharp teeth, vicious eyes, a clear fish-man feature.
Arlong.
Yu read the name.
He flipped over two more.
One was a man with purple hair closely cropped in a military cut, covered in armor, looking like a gorilla-like figure, Don Krieg.
One was a freak with a red round nose and blue hair, Buggy.
Yu handed the three wanted posters to Beam.
"Capture them."
"What are you planning?"
Beam took the posters, tilting his head.
"Have them gather their subordinates to help collect treasures."
Yu said calmly, "Many hands make light work."
Beam nodded and turned to leave.
Four Gay Bros gathered around. Teddy Devil said with clear displeasure, "Ishigami, who the hell do you think you're ordering around? We're not your subordinates."
Yu glanced at him. "Then you won't go?"
Teddy Devil clicked his tongue. "We're just preparing gifts for Boss. It's not like we're taking orders from you."
"Exactly, exactly."
Gorilla Devil nodded in agreement.
"Boss never said you outrank us."
Dolphin Devil added.
Yu ignored their grumbling and began using his heaven-defying, world-spanning vision to locate the positions of the three major East Blue pirates.
In the corner of the ship's cabin, Nami sat hugging her knees, her face pale.
She had heard.
Arlong.
The fish-man who had occupied her village, killed her foster mother, and forced her to become a thief.
"Nami?"
Carina noticed her strangeness and asked in a low voice.
"What's wrong?"
Nami didn't answer, just shook her head. She hadn't even told Carina about this.
At this moment, seeing that dangerous group Yu was part of about to target Arlong and the others, a faint sense of expectation stirred within Nami.
Soon, Yu informed the others of the locations of Arlong, Buggy, and Don Krieg.
Beam stuffed the wanted posters into his pocket, leaped, and jumped into the sea.
Four Gay Bros followed close behind, turning into four afterimages and vanishing across the sea's surface in different directions.
As for Yu himself, after instructing Robin and Kalifa to watch the ship, he also turned and left.
Makoto's three most trusted aides began to move against the three major pirates of the East Blue.
To be honest, it felt a bit like overkill.